Tonight was doubly depressing because (a) the Clippers, after trailing by 17, worked hard to get themselves into a position to win the game, and could have. (b) For about 90 minutes, we got a through-the-looking-glass peek at the parallel 2006-2007 NBA season, the one where the Clippers are 37-26 and using their defensive smarts, and the recurring monster game by Brand, to keep themselves in competition with Houston for the 5 seed. In that respect, the fourth quarter, until the Alston 3PM, was like basketball crack – a glorious, transporting, evanescent flash…and over all too quickly.

We saw the single most electrifying shot of the season --- by Corey Maggette on the break resulting from the controlled tip of the Yao-Cat jump ball. Corey, driving down the right sideline at full-speed, is pushed by Alston toward the sideline. Before he tumbles to the floor, Corey sweeps the ball across his body, heaving the rock at the backboard. The ball banks in perfectly.

We also saw the featured clip on Elton’s reel: With one minute left in the game and the Clippers down one, Brand has the ball a bit off the left elbow out on the wing. With his left hip facing the basket, Elton dribbles with his right against Yao Ming. Alston, whose man is Daniel Ewing at the top of the arc, is cheating to his right over on Elton. After Alston shifts his weight back to his left leg, Elton ignites, then explodes past Yao through the gut of the lane with a single dribble, upward for the slam. Rather than try to shoot over his much larger defender, EB uses his speed and agility to get around him. More than that, though, Elton does what guys like him are supposed to do when their team is down one with a minute left. Elton takes over.

Only fifteen seconds before that, we witnessed one of the more wince-inducing moments of the season when Ewing gets his pocket picked by Alston, relinquishing the lead. And, of course, there was the inexcusable blown cover by Mobley on Alston Head that resulted in the game-winning 3PM from the left corner with :12.2 left.

I know it’s weird to be grateful for having your heart ripped out in a game the Clips could’ve won – and maybe its because I long ago conceded the season – but this feels much better than it has the past eight weeks. The Clips aren’t going to recover overnight. First they have to get clean. Then they have to get back into their normal, daily routine – just prove themselves responsible – maybe some meetings. Then we can start talking about their getting a full-time job, much less dating and all the other stuff. Playing good basketball against quality teams is a start. You don’t have to be satisfied with the outcome, but you can acknowledge the progress.

Posted Wednesday, October 29 at 3:20PM

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Comments

Definitely a nice, if not ultimately disappointing game. I'd rather have my heart ripped out with under a minute left in the game as opposed to a quarter and a half. This is the kind of game that really could go either way at the end. I'm just glad we were in it for that long. Now we just gotta make Charlotte's life miserable on Friday. I'm looking forward to it.

Finally a game where the Clips were competitive with a team with a winning record. Even with the loss it was refreshing. I know the season is mostly down the drain but at least if we Clippers fans can watch a game where our team competes it is some consolation. Oh, if we only had a point guard. What would Sam I Am have done on those closing posessions???

Even though it ended up not mattering, last night was a great example of Dunleavy's ineptitude. With about 1:20 left, HOU got a bucket to cut our lead to one. At the point, Dunleavy blew our last 20 second time out. This is stupid on so many levels. First, it gives Yao a rest. Second, HOU only had 1 TO left, so it lets them set up an offensive possession for the next time down. Finally, and most importantly, that TO could have been vital to us down the stretch. What if HOU had missed one of those FT's at the end? We would have needed the TO to advance the ball. Just another example of how Dunleavy is the worst 4th quarter coach in the history of mankind.

Wow, it sounds like Clipper sentiments of years gone by, we played well against a good team, whoo hoo.

We suck, we're not making the playoffs, probably will not even come close...we need much more than a point guard, how about a shooting guard who can consistently score 17-22 a night? That might help...and of course a coach who has a clue.

March Madness, Time to look at some Prospects for this year's draft or will we draft from another country? How about a guy that nobody wants and will probably be available in the 2nd round?

How about drafting Big Baby Davis and Bring Baby Shaq? I want to bring back the 2 ton team of yester-years. Who can forget Elmore Spencer, John " Hot Plate" williams, Stanley Roberts and Good Ol' Kevin Duckworth..

it was luther head on that dagger three. Mike said it after the break, on the replay, but didn't specify that Ralph had said it wrong.

"it's the law." sigh.

agree with you a 1000%, Kevin, that stretch where the clippers were coming back was the most exciting clipper viewing, at least for me, of the year, with the climax being that corey drive.

the alcoholic/addict analogy brilliant as well. keep up the good werk/go clips.

if only dunleavy hadn't been like the beagle continually walking up to the electrified fence thinking this time it won't zap him, just pumping the ball into Kaman 85 times to open the game, futility incarnate, not to mention the likewise stagnant start to the 2nd half.

I was watching this game on TV while playing AirPlay NBA Live on my cell phone, and I nearly threw the thing through the TV screen near the end of the game. Did beat my friends who were playing with me, though.

It's nice seeing a sighting of what the Clippers could and should be - I just wish they could've been here all along.

Speaking of Airplay, does nybody here want to start a league on the Airplay NBA fantasy game? They’ve been getting a lot of press lately, and I just downloaded the free trial. It’d be nice to have a small competitive group going.

Couldn't hang in Europe? He was the 2nd leading scorer in the league, he left cus of the language factor. I just read he's gonna start playing in puerto rico in april.
But they could use him on the bench.